[10/06/09 - 09:59 AM]Sunday Night Football 4 for 4 on Sunday NightsNBC spins the numbers for Sunday, October 4.

[via press release from NBC]

"SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL" 4 FOR 4 ON SUNDAY NIGHTS

Best Start in "Sunday Night Football" History

SNF #1 For Week in Key Demos for Fourth Straight Week

NEW YORK � October 5, 2009 � NBC's "Sunday Night Football" was the No. 1 broadcast on Sunday night and the No. 1 primetime show of the week in the key advertising demos, including Adults 18-49 for the fourth consecutive week (excluding NFL overruns). "SNF" won the night again on a night that included original network programming including ABC's Desperate Housewives and Brothers & Sisters, CBS's 60 Minutes, Amazing Race and the debut of Three Rivers and Fox's Simpsons, Family Guy and The Cleveland Show.

"Sunday Night Football" featuring the Pittsburgh Steelers 38-28 victory over the San Diego Chargers in a game that was seemingly in hand at halftime with the Steelers up 21-0, pulled in 18.4 million viewers (from 8:31-11:10 p.m. ET) and had a national household rating of 11.0 and a 18 share, easily winning the night across those metrics as well as in the key advertiser demos of Adults 18-34, 18-49, 25-54 and Men 18-34, 18-49 and 25-54.

"SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL" OFF TO ITS BEST START EVER:

Through four weeks "Sunday Night Football" is averaging 20.8 million viewers an increase of 17 percent over the first four weeks of 2008 (17.8 million viewers) and is the best start to an NFL season for NBC since reacquiring the NFL in 2006.

"SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL" VIEWERSHIP THROUGH WEEK 4:

2009: 20.8 million

2008: 17.8 million

2007: 17.1 million

2006: 18.6 million

DOMINATES PRIMETIME AGAIN: The SNF game once again propelled NBC to a convincing primetime win on Sunday night with a margin of victory over the No. 2 network, Fox, by 29 percent in total viewers and 17 percent in adults 18-49.

SNF WINS WEEK IN KEY DEMOS: The Chargers-Steelers game topped the weekly primetime rankings in the key demographic of adults 18-49 and also ranked No. 1 for the week among all primetime programs in adults 25-54, men 18-49 and men 25-54.

SNF UP VS. LAST YEAR: The Chargers-Steelers game is up six percent (18.4 million to 17.3 million) from last year's Week 4 game in which the Bears defeated the Eagles 24-20 in a very closely contested game and is the most watched Week 4 game in the four years of SNF on NBC. Among households, the game saw a two percent increase from last season's game (11.0/18 vs. 10.8/17).